Events
Spring Field Tours: See the Little Deer Creek Landscape Resilience Project
Join us in April for a guided walk through 206 treated acres in the Nevada City/Banner Mountain area. See the results of two years of hand and mechanical thinning, check on native understory regrowth, and discuss the ecological and fire-resilience impacts of the work.

The Little Deer Creek Landscape Resilience Project has completed fuel reduction treatments across 206 acres in the Nevada City/Banner Mountain area, and we're inviting the community to come see the results firsthand.
Two free spring field tours are scheduled for April 2026:
- Tuesday, April 7 at 4:00 PM
- Saturday, April 11 at 10:00 AM
Both tours meet at the Nevada County Sportsmen Parking Lot at 11296 Banner Mountain Trail, Nevada City.
What to Expect
The tours offer a chance to walk the treated landscape and see how it has responded to two years of fuel reduction work completed between 2024 and 2026. Topics include:
- Results of hand and mechanical thinning — see the before-and-after difference across treated stands
- Weed and native understory regrowth — check on how native plants are recovering and whether invasive species are establishing in treated areas
- Ecological and fire impacts of treatments — discuss how the work changes fire behavior and what it means for forest health and community safety
These are casual, educational walks suitable for all experience levels. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water.
About the Project
The Little Deer Creek Landscape Resilience Project is a multi-year effort to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest resilience in the Banner Mountain area near Nevada City. The project uses a combination of hand thinning, mechanical treatments, and biomass removal to reduce wildfire risk and protect communities, evacuation corridors, and critical infrastructure.
Contact
For more information, contact:
- Theo — theo@yubawatershedinstitute.org
- Christian — christian@sierrastreamsinstitute.org
More from YWI

Sierra Nevada Conservation Conference Comes to Nevada City, Nov. 5–6
The Sierra Nevada Alliance's 2026 conference is Thursday, November 5 at the Miners Foundry, with three guided field tours on Friday, November 6. YWI's Chris Friedel leads the Little Deer Creek tour. Register by October 31.
Notices of Intent to Award: Round Mountain and South Yuba Rim Fuels Reduction
YWI intends to award the Round Mountain Phase 1 fuels reduction work to GP Development & Land Clearing LLC, and the South Yuba Rim Phase 2 work by Bid Item to First Rain Land Stewardship Services LLC, Wildland Corporation, and GP Development & Land Clearing LLC. Work is planned for November 2026 through February 2027.

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